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External Affairs Minister
S.M. Krishna shakes hands with Overseas Pakistan Affairs Minister
Farooq Sattar
during a meeting in Islamabad on Friday.
(Photo:
PTI) |
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 Positive developments in Indo-Pak talks:
Talks between External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and
his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi were ....
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Krishna wraps up Pakistan visit |
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Islamabad:
Even as Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna expressed satisfaction
over his three-day Pakistan tour, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi breached diplomatic protocol in major way by
slamming India and calling it's approach selective.
He also used the K-word to indicate
where Pakistan's priorities lie.
In effect, this confrontational
approach by Pak would serve to slam shut the only positive window
that the talks between Krishna and Qureshi may have left open
yesterday - for holding more talks.
It has ensured the false bonhomie seen yesterday gave way to yet
another confrontation between the two nations.
Seeking to blame India for the "last-minute hitch" in talks, Qureshi
said New Delhi appeared to be unwilling to commit to a roadmap for
future engagement and made it clear that the dialogue cannot move
forward if Kashmir is not discussed.
He said it would not make sense to discuss aspects like cultural and
trade relations while ignoring "core" issues like Jammu and Kashmir,
peace and security and Siachen.
He also said the dialogue cannot move forward till its concerns were
also understood by New Delhi.
"If we focus more only on those issues which India gives importance
to and ignore those considered important by Pakistan, then I don't
think the talks can move forward," Qureshi said here.
Qureshi made it clear that Pakistan is not willing to back down on
its historical position on the Kashmir issue. He joined issues with
Krishna on his assertion that any human rights violations and law
and order problems in Jammu and Kashmir would be handled by
the state's elected government.
"It was already decided that Kashmir is part of our talks and that
it is a disputed territory. If it is said that Pakistan's people and
Kashmiris should become delinked from the situation inside (Jammu
and Kashmir), that is not possible," he said.
"There may be mechanisms in India to watch human rights violations
but if the army is being deployed to maintain law and order, there
is curfew in many cities, strikes across Jammu and Kashmir and
innocent people are being affected, how can Pakistan become delinked?"
he said.
"The government of Indian-occupied Kashmir is also looking forward
to this dialogue and is keen there is some forward movement vis-a
vis this dialogue because they understand the difficulties they are
undergoing at the moment."
Pakistan is as prepared as India to tack terrorism because it is a
victim of the menace, he added.
Qureshi also contested Krishna's assertion that Pakistan has not
provided even a "shred of evidence" of India's alleged role in
fomenting unrest in Balochistan, saying he had not spoken out at
yesterday's joint press conference as he was the host and Krishna
was his guest.
"According to my information, our Interior Minister discussed this
with their Home Minister and (Krishna) should be aware of this," he
said.
However, he said he would not call his yesterday's talks with
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna a "deadlock".
"There are difficulties and we need to find a way to handle them,"
Qureshi said, adding "we are ready to engage, we are ready to
negotiate any time, anywhere and we are not in a hurry. We will wait
till they are ready".
He said Pakistan wanted a roadmap for the future as an outcome of
the talks but the Indian side felt they did not have the mandate to
make such a commitment.
"India was narrowing the dialogue and we said you cannot be
selective," Qureshi said.
"We understand India's concerns and want to address them. But
Pakistan also has its concerns and core issues which should be
understood by India," he said.
Taking a personal dig at Krishna, the Pakistani Foreign Minister
said that he did not step out of the talks to "attend any phone
calls", but the "Indian Foreign Minister received foreign policy
directions from New Delhi repeatedly during our meeting".
"I led Pakistan's team and I didn't need to make even a single phone
call (to Pakistan leaders) during the day-long talks. Krishna is the
principal for giving direction to foreign policy (but) why were
directions being sent repeatedly from Delhi?"
"Pakistan is ready for talks but dialogue should be substantive,
meaningful and result-oriented. Pakistan's people and Kashmiris
cannot be delinked from the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Qureshi
said.
"There will not be any hitch from Pakistan side. I am ready to
negotiate on any issue," Qureshi added.
"Indian Foreign Minister received foreign policy directions from New
Delhi repeatedly during our meeting," says Qureshi.
"Pakistan is ready for talks but dialogue should be substantive,
meaningful and result-oriented. Pakistan's people and Kashmiris
cannot be delinked from the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Qureshi
adds.
'Krishna
satisfied'
Contrary to his Pakistani counterpart,
Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna expressed satisfaction
over his visit to Islamabad for talks with his Pakistani counterpart
Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Krishna, who was in the Pakistan capital on a three-day visit, told
ANI, “Yes, I came here with a single purpose of making an earnest
effort to reduce the trust deficit.”
“To a large extent, that has been achieved, and I have invited the
Foreign Minister of Pakistan, and we will resume where we left
yesterday,” he added.
'BJP Fumes'
Meanwhile, not to loose any
opportunity to critise the Congress-led ruling alliance at the
centre, BJP lashed out at Pakistan's foreign minister Shah
Mehmood Qureshi's hostile remarks, saying he did not deserve his
job.
"Qureshi does not deserve to be the
foreign minister, not even a second secretary in the diplomatic
mission," BJP leader and former
foreign minister Yashwant Sinha said in a statement.
"It was a breach of protocol. I am sure he (Qureshi) would not have
done so without the knowledge of the Pakistani prime minister and
president," said Sinha.
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